Which little Book may be(through Gods blessing) veryuseful to preserve those thatare yet sound in the faith,from the InfectionOF
Mr. JOHN GOODWINsGreat Book.

BYROBERT BAILIE,Minister of the Gospel at Glasgow.
London, Printed for Samuel Gellibrand,
at theBall in Pauls Church-yard. 1652.

To the ĘquitableREADER.

THEshortness of the
following Treatise admits not long prefacing: It has been much wished &
long expected from the learned Divines of this land, that a plain &
short Manual of the chief controversies should have been published, whereby
the people might be forearmed {} against the invasion of seducing
spirits which everywhere are but too frequent. Long ago too much stuff
of this kind is provided for Scholars, These have but too many and too
big Volumes of controversies always at their hand; but our people are not
so furnished either with sword or buckler as need were, which makes them
to their shame & grief, when they run counter with adversaries (which
they cannot {} choose but oft to do) lie open to wounds: The children
of this world are in this, as in many other things, wiser than the children
of light: the Jesuits let not their Proselytes have any lack of their
Encheiridia, their Vade mecum, their little pocket Books of controversy,
to enable them both to strike and keep, when they meet with our people.

These years bygone too much time hath been lost {}
among us on Ceremonies and Disciplinary Questions. It has been the policy
of Satan to hold us intent, & busy on these out-sconces, that so the
main fortresses of Antichrist should stand safe without assault. Would
to God that our too too long and hot skirmishes about purging of the ditches
of Bishops, and Ceremonies, had not cast open at our backs the gates
of our great Towers, and given opportunity {} to our Enemy to undermine
the very foundations of our Church.

Of all the Errors which in too great a number do corrupt
England this day, these which are called after the infamous name of
Arminius, are the most prevalent. While therefore the Learned may
be pleased to demit themselves for the good of the people, while some gracious
Divine may be moved to take leisure for the {} publishing of some
short and plain System of all, or of the most material controversies, it
were good that some little thing were done in this beginning of our glorious
Liberty from Oppressions, for the arming of the godly against the errors
of Arminius, which so malapertly these bygone years have been blown
abroad, and the opposition thereto hath been so strictly discharged, and
so severely punished: while [until] {} a better comes, the subsequent
Treatise will serve somewhat for that end. Of its worth let every man pronounce
according as he finds. In its first birth it was a Speech delivered upon
a short warning in the general Assembly of Glasgow, and there not
misliked. Since that time it hath not increased much in stature. If the
feature of it please any intelligent eye, it is easy in a few nights for
any to make the {} members of it grow so great & long as you
will: but it is the Authors opinion, that treatises intended to the forenamed
ends are the more handsome & serviceable, the more short and simple
they be; and the more unprofitable & unpleasant, the more accurate
and long: However, such as it is, enjoy it who will, misregard it who please.
{7}

An Antidote againstARMINIANISM.

Who ArminiusWas

Arminius was a late Preacher
of Holland, minister first at Amsterdam, and then professor
of Divinity at Leiden, a man of very great ingine [ability, wit];
in his outward conversation almost unblameable; but much given to innovation
and self-conceit. The Novelties which mainly he loved were divers errours
of our old Country-man Pelagius, which the Jesuits in his {8} time
had revived. After that the Spirit of God had banished the Heresies of
Arius, Nestorius, Macedonius, and Eutiches, which Satan in
their persons had raised against the persons of the Trinity, against the
nature and person of Christ, Pelagius, a Scotish man, did oppose
not the Nature, nor the Person, but the Grace of God. Against him the Lord
raised Augustine, who by the force of Scripture beat the Heretick
in all his errors, yet there were some relicts of that subtle Heresy after
Augustines death, which set up the {9} head both in the Eastern
and Western Churches sometimes more, sometimes less. In the days of Remigius
and Hincmarus, great was the trouble that the Semipelagians
made in Germany and France, as we see in the cause of Goteschalcus,
set down by Gerhardus Vossius, but much more honestly by Primate
Usher.

When he came to be infected with errour

From that time there was not much din about
these questions, till after the year 1590, when Molina a Spanish
Jesuit began to renew many of the Pelagian {10} errors about Grace
and Freewill, Election, and Reprobation, and such heads.

Against him Alvarez, a Dominican at Rome,
did oppose at length: This fire betwixt these two Orders began to burn
first in Spain, and then in West Flanders: from Lovan,
the Jesuit Lessius blew over the reik [smoke] to Amsterdam,
where Arminius was Preacher, the flame burning in his wanton Engine
[wit], brake out first openly in a Treatise against [William] Perkins
"Golden Chain," thereafter he did spread his errours {11} wherever he might:
Being called to the University of Leiden to succeed good Junius,
for sometime he was quiet, but at once with all diligence he infected not
only the youth in the University, but by them very many Ministers over
all the Land.

His petulant wit was not content to broach these remainders
of Pelagianism which Molina and his followers professed, but beside
he fell on many more dangerous novations & at last began to like {12}
much of Vorstius and Socinus tenets.

This fire in the Holland Church burnt boldly in
the time of the Truce with Spain, and was likely to threaten their
estate with ruin in the time of peace, more than the Spanish sword
had done in all their wars.

When Arminianism was crushed in Holland.

So long as Arminius lived there was
no remedy, when God had killed him, the evil grew no less; some Statesmen
and Court Ministers for their own ends did hold these errours on foot;
the will-minded {13} people cried still for a general Assembly as the only
help of their Schisms: the Arminians by might and main set themselves
against the meeting of a Synod, as the certain ruin of their Party; so
long as their Patron Barnavelt lived, they got the Assembly, shifted,
but when that Traitors head was stricken off, & King James
our blessed Prince had advised often the States, and half by threatenings
commanded them, at last a general Assembly was called at Dort, not
only {14} of Divines and ruling Elders from all the Provincial Synods of
the Netherlands, but almost from the whole Reformed Churches; there
the most excellent Synod being met that Christendom had seen for some hundred
years; the Arminian questions were handled at leisure from November
to May, and all that was needful, was clearly decided.

That labour was so blessed by God, that the Land which
through the Arminian Schism and Errours was at the {15} point of
ruin, since that time hath had peace from these turbulent Schismatics.

When Arminianism did take root in Britain.

But here the pity, Britain, whose waters
mainly had slakened [quenched] that fire abroad, began at once to
be scorched at home by some sparks of that flame.

The hopes of the Arminians in England were
but small so long as K. James did live, for that good Prince both
in word and writing did threaten to burn these Hereticks if any of them
should appear in his Dominions; see his Declaration {16} against Vorstius:
yea, so long as Abbot was in grace at Court, the Arminians
kept a low sail, but after that his Successor even in his own time had
come in favour, that unhappy Sect under the patronage of Mountagu
and Whites learning began to spread far and near, yea, at last
silence in a public Edict was enjoined to their opposers, and all favours
conferred on those who had skill and will to promote that Cause, &
many evident disgraces poured on well-deserving {17} men for no other reason
but their Anti-Arminian spirit.

All this time our Church [The Church of Scotland] was
free of these evils; but so soon as the advancers of Arminianism at the
English Court, began to intermeddle with the affairs of our Kingdom, at
once these men were eyed, who inclined that way, prime places were put
into their hands for no other virtue the World could discern in them, but
their boldness to let out their inclination towards {18} the Arminian Errour.

This way of advancement being perceived, incontinent [immediately]
many among us set their hearts towards that art which was likeliest in
haste to promote their fortunes.

The British Arminians decline to Popery,
but the Belgick to Socinianism.

It is to be remarked that the Arminian spirit
in Holland leads men to hell another way than here in Britain;
there the Arminians with great boldness running after Vorstius &
Socinus with a marvelous petulancy fell to brangle [shake into
confusion] the Trinity of {19} the Divine persons, yea, the simplicity
of the Divine nature itself.

But that Devil finding this his rashness to revive openly
Manes & Arrius, did make people abhor him, and flee away,
he became more wary; so that among us he lets these old condemned Heresies
alone, and goes another way to work; He leads by a new method to the errours
of Antichrist; A Netherlandish Arminian will scorn the superstitions,
The Idolatries, the Tyrannies of the Romish {20} Church, but is
much inclined after Vorstius and Socinus, under the pretext
of Liberty to run licentiously into Heresies condemned in the first Ecumenick
Councils: On the contrary, a British Arminian with the Ancients
will abhor the Extravagances of Vorstius and Socinus, yet
their heart is hot and inflamed after the abominations of Rome:
God who put Confusion in Babel, hath divided Satans Kingdom against
itself, else this subtle Devil might have endangered {21} the safety of
the whole Reformed Church; But while in Holland the horn of Arminianism
is now broken out of his front long and great, and in England the
horn of Popery, we trust these two long black ugly horns shall make that
evil spirit both here and there so well known, that he shall not be able
to do so much harm anywhere as once was feared from him; however the great
Hammer that brake the neck of the beast over Sea, was that {22} National
Synod and the main hope we have to get it mastered here at this time is
by the hand of our God in this present Assembly.

The five Arminian Articles.

The
Five Articles.

For the story I will say no more but come to the Doctrines;
The multitude of their singularities was reduced at their own desire, both
in the Conference at Hage, and Synod of Dort to five Articles,
or rather four, for Grace and Freewill are commonly disputed together.
{23}

The state of the question in the first Article.

First
article stated.

The first Article concerns Predestination, the next the
Death of Christ, the third and fourth Grace and Free-will, the fifth Perseverance.
We may add Justification as a sixth, whereon both these over Sea, and their
followers among us, run as mad as on any of the former.

Concerning Election, the first and chief part of Predestination,
they teach, that it is posterior to Faith, Works, and Perseverance; Arminius
at the beginning {24} made faith alone previous to Election, but long since
his followers, and our men1
also join works, yea, perseverance to the end in faith, and works; as if
God first did foresee by his eternal Prescience, some men of their own
Free-will assenting to his Call in time, believing and going on to the
end in faith and good works, and after this foresight, did pass his Decree
of Election to glory upon these men clothed with the named qualities.

But we teach that {25} Faith, Works, and Perseverance
are posterior to Election; that this is the cause, root, fountain, whence
all grace in us does flow; that our Election hath no Antecedent cause,
condition, or good quality on our part, but flows merely from Gods good
pleasure, and mercy looking upon us, lying in our blood, corrupted with
original sin, and in that case choosing us of his free mercy to be members
of his Son, to whom he will give grace and glory, though others as {26}
good and nothing worse than we are permitted to lie still in the mass of
corruption for the glory of his mercy to us and justice towards them, without
any ground of gloriation to the one, or complaint to the other, as if any
wrong were done them, when they are past by.

Our first argument for absolute election is
from Eph. 1.3.

This our Doctrine of Election it is clear
from Scripture, (1.) see Ephes. 1.3, Blessed be God, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ, according as he hath
chosen us in him, that we should {27} be holy and blameless before
him in love, having predestinated us to the adoption of children, according
to the good pleasure of his will.

Here we are chosen to be holy and blameless; not because
we were holy, therefore we were chosen: Holiness is made posterior to our
Election. Now Faith, Perseverance, Charity, and such graces are all parts
of holiness, are all fruits of the holy Spirit. Here also all spiritual
blessings for which God is {28} to be praised, flows from this original;
Election is the rule according to which God distributes these graces.

Adoption also is made a fruit of Election, yea, the only
reason of this Election is made Gods good pleasure. By this place of Scripture
Augustine beat down the Pelagians, who taught an Election
of foreseen works. God foresaw {29} (saith the Pelagian)
who should be holy & unblameable by their own freewill, and therefore
he did elect them before the foundation of the World, because he foresaw
they would be such.2
What answers he to this Arminian Objection in the mouth of the Pelagians?
Let us behold the Apostles words, and see whether therefore he did elect
us because we were to be holy, or that we might be such: Blessed says the
{30} Apostle, be God who has chosen us not because we were to be
such, but that we might be such: Why the matter is certain, it is manifest,
for we were to be such because God predestinating did choose us that we
by his grace might become such: you see doubtless, you see with what evidence
of Apostolic utterance, this grace is defended, against which human merits
extols itself, as if man did give anything to God, and it were rendered
to him.3
So does the Father [Augustine] convince the Pelagians from
these same words; he {31} also closes the mouths of the Semipelagians
who taught that albeit works and holiness was not prior to Election, yet
Faith or at least some beginnings of faith behoved on our part to go before,
to these thus he speaks, Let even these hear in this passage "predestinated
according to his purpose, who works all things" he that works all things,
works also that we begin to believe, neither doth faith itself go before
{32} his work, for he has chosen us that we might believe, not because
we did believe.4
Against both the whole and half Pelagians, so he concludes triumphantly,
Against so clear a trumpet of Truth, what person of sober and watchful
faith will admit the contrary voice of any man.5

Our second argument from Rom. 11.5.

Another Scripture, Rom. 11.5, Even
so also at this present time there is a remnant according to the election
of grace, and if of grace it is no more of works otherwise grace is no
more grace. {33}

Here the Reason is given why among the misbelieving obstinate
wicked Jews, there was a few remnant who did believe and were saved:
the grace, faith, salvation of this Remnant is ascribed to their Election
as the Cause, & this Election is affirmed to come alone of Gods Grace,
and denied to have proceeded of any of their works, yea, these things are
not simply affirmed, that the grace and salvation of the remnant came from
Election, that this Election {34} was of grace that it was not of works,
but farther works and grace in this matter of Election are declared to
be incompatible, so that those who make our Election to depend on works,
or to be posterior in Gods mind to his foreknowledge of our works, say
what they will, they are enemies of the grace of God.

This place is so clear, that Arminius so long as
he lived durst never ascribe Election to good works as his followers now
do, yea, the Lutherans {35} to this day dare not do it: but the
place clearly enough refutes even that which they say, that Election is
of Faith albeit not of works, especially as Arminius expounded Faith,
for he made Election and Justification to depend on Faith, not as it is
an instrument applying Christ, but as it is an Evangelical work which God
hath appointed under the gospel to be a saving quality of itself, as perfect
obedience should have been under the Law. In this {36} sense Faith is a
true work, and who denies Election to be of works denies it as well to
be of Faith, which is a work. But take Faith as you will, this place removes
it from Election for it ascribes Election to Gods grace alone excluding
Faith, works, or whatever is in us: The clearness of this place changed
Augustine his mind, and delivered him from that Lutheran
errour,6
wherein long he lay, believing Election to have been of Faith, albeit not
of works. {37}

This was the issue of my argumentation that I said,
God has not chosen any mans works in his foreknowledge, but he has chosen
faith in his foreknowledge, but I had not at that time diligently enough
enquired, neither had I yet found what was that Election of Grace, of which
the Apostle spake.7

Our third argument from Rom. 8.28.

A third Scripture is, Rom. 8.28, Whom
he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom he, &c. Here
Election is made prior to calling and Justification, as they to glorification,
much more {38} to faith, works, perseverance which are all posterior to
calling. We must first be Justified before we can persevere to the end;
we must first be called by the Word & Spirit before we can believe.
Faith then, and works and perseverance are posterior to effectual vocation,
much more to Election, which in this Scripture is set before vocation itself,
yea, before all the consequences and effects of vocation.

The Arminians cannot {39} get away from the grip
of this place, but by wresting of it pitifully, both at Hage Conference
and in the Synod, and all their posterior writs, they with a strange impudence
avow that Predestination, Vocation, Justification in this place is no ways
relative either to grace or glory, but only to the cross and affliction:
of all the malapert Wresters of Scriptures that live this day, the Remonstrants
are the chief. This present subterfuge is Socinus his Invention,
{40} a wicked Heretick, who denies the merit, the power, and the true satisfactions
of Christs death & blood, and so indeed he hath reason if his grounds
be true; For with Arrius he spoils Christ of his Godhead, which
if he did want [lack], his blood and death could not be satisfactory
for any one sin, yet this most pernicious heretick, the Arminians
think no shame to follow, in wresting the present Scripture, but to little
purpose, for the analogy of the {41} whole Scripture, the scope of this
Text will not let them expound Predestination, Calling, and Justification
as Socinus would, if we admit in this place three of their greatest
friends, & of our greatest foes to be Judges, Pelagius, Arminius,
Molina. From them all we have testimonies that this place cannot admit
Socinus interpretation, but I must haste.

Our fourth argument from Rom. 9.11.

A fourth Scripture is, Rom. 9.11, For
the Children being not yet born, neither yet having done any {42} good
or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not
of works, but of him that calleth, &c.

The purpose of God according to Election is understood
here of Gods Eternal Predestination as Pelagius and Arminius
both in their Commentaries on the place confess. This Election is ascribed
only to God who calls; All works are excluded because they were none, there
could be none, the persons not yet being born. Our Adversaries {43} run
here two divers ways from this text.

Spalato understands works as existing not, as future,
saying, that Jacob was elected not for any works which he had done,
but for those which he was to do, which was before God in his prescience.

This Pelagian subterfuge Augustine treads
down in the first birth: This is the lurking hole {44} of your
darkness, wherefore truly you err, for the truth saying not of works, but
of him that calleth, you say, Jacob was loved for the works which
God foresaw he was to do, and so you contradict the Apostle saying, not
of works, as if he could not have said, not of works present, but for works
to come.8

Arminius flies another way, granting that Jacobs
Election was not of works, yet avowing it was of faith, this hole Augustine
stopped long ago, when the Semipelagians would have been {45} at
it, Did the Apostle say not of works, but of him that believeth, even
this also did the Apostle take from man that he might give all to God,
saying but of him that calleth, not with every call, but by such a call
wherewith we are made to believe.9

Our fifth argument from Acts 13.48.

One other Scripture, Acts 13.48, As many
as were ordained to life eternal believed: Gods Ordination to life
eternal goes before faith: belief is here an effect ascribed to Election,
as the cause whence it comes. To fly [flee] this Argument, {46}
the Arminians follow Socinus to a worse errour than they
would eschew, they expound, ordained to eternal life, those who,
before all faith and calling, by their own free-will were fitted and disposed
for faith and salvation: This is such an high degree of Pelagianism
that the Lutherans and Papists also, for the most part, do abhor
it.

Second Article stated.

Second
article stated.

IN the second Article of Redemption
they {47} teach that Christ by his death intended the universal Redemption
of all men without distinction of Elect and Reprobate; that he by his death
did actually impetrate [acquire] to all the favour and grace of
God, that the application of the graces impetrated depends on the free-will
of man, some according to their Liberty making use of that purchased gift,
Others to whom that grace and salvation was alike purchased and intended
on Gods part, by their own {48} neglect and contempt, according to the
same liberty of their will rejecting it.

We teach that Christ did give his life and blood alone
for those who get good by it, only for the faithful, even the Elect his
own members.

Absurdities consequent to the Arminian
tenet.

Horrible absurdities follow on the Arminian
Tenet, some whereof they acknowledge, and others are bound on their back
by inevitable consequences, to wit: That the fruit of Christs death depends
absolutely {49} upon the contingent assent of mans free-will, that notwithstanding
his death it was possible and very contingent [uncertain, undetermined],
that all men had perished, that no soul had been freed from hell by his
blood, that God should never have had any Church at all; That now by the
virtue of his death, true grace is given to all; That all Pagans as well
under the Law as Gospel, who never heard of Scripture, are truly reconciled
to God by his death; That all Infants even of {50} Pagans are saved by
Christ, who die before the years of discretion; That in no man is any original
sin, but every one when he is born is put in the state of innocency; That
Baptism is not necessary, for no sin is therein remitted because there
is none then to be remitted.

Our first argument that Christ died only for
the Elect from John 17.9.

But however see how our doctrine is grounded
on Scripture, John 17.9, I pray for them, I pray not for the
world, but for those thou hast given me out of the world, for they {51}
are thine: Christ had no intention to give his life for them for
whom he avows, he would not pray, at that same time when he was going to
die; shall he give his life for those for whom he would not open his mouth
to pray; for his own only, for his Fathers proper ones, who are given
over and recommended to him, for these only and not the World he avows,
he does then pray.

Our second argument from Ephes. 5.24.

Another, Ephes. 5.24, {52} Christ
is the head of the Church, and a Saviour of the body. Christ also hath
loved his Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse
it, and present it to himself a glorious Church: Christ here gives
himself to death, not for all but for the Church only, he is a Saviour
only of the body of these whom he loves as his spouse, whom he sanctifies
and presents to God one day glorious without spot; such are not the world
of the damned. {53}

Our third argument from John 10.14.

A third Scripture, John 10.14, I
am the good shepherd and know the sheep, and am known of mine, and lay
down my life for my sheep: for whom hath Christ laid down his life?
Only for his sheep, for those that are his, for those that know him as
their shepherd, of whom he taketh notice as of his sheep, but for the Goats
of the world whom he knows not, over whom he never bare rule, who never
were in his fold, he {54} lays not down his life.

Our fourth from John 15.13.

A fourth Scripture, John 15.13, Greater
love than this, hath no man, that a man should lay down his life for his
friend: Christ lays down his life for his friends, not for those who
live and die strangers & enemies to him. For whom he dies, to them
he shews the highest degree of love, but to numbers of the Reprobates,
he never sends his Word, much less his saving grace; how then have they
the fruit of his greatest affection, {55} even to die for them.

Our fifth argument from Isaiah 53,
&c.

See also that of the 53rd chapter of Isaiah:
By his stripes are we healed, and that of the Apostle, He was made
sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him;
those for whom Christ was slain, are healed by his stripes, are made righteous
and absolved from sin by his blood, which he as their pledge shed for them:
It is the justice of God, that for whose sin he hath received an infinite
satisfaction, To these should not be imputed {56} their sins for a second
satisfaction in their own eternal torments, but so it is, that numbers
of people are never freed from their sin, never healed but perish.

The Arminian objection answered.

Against all this their prime Objection, in
these Scriptures wherein Christ is said to have died for all, the
Answer is easy, that no man can deny but divers Scriptures which are conceived
in universal terms, must be expounded with restrictions, for example, Christ
is all in all, {57} when I am risen I will draw all men to me, I
will pour my spirit on all flesh, they shall be all taught of God,
will any man have these universal Scriptures absolute and illimited; So
doth Augustine answer and beat off the Pelagians when they
press these Scriptures of Christs dying for all & every one; his words
I pass for the time; when the Semipelagians rested not content with
his Answers to them he replies, de Correp. & Gratia, c. 14,
in these words well worthy the {58} reciting, By all men we understand
all kinds of men, divided by whatsoever distinctions, Kings or private
persons, noble or ignoble, high or low, learned or unlearned, whole or
sick, wise, simple, foolish, rich, poor, indifferent, men, women, babes,
children, youths, old men, of all languages, of all dispositions, of all
trades, of all professions, and according to their divers inclinations,
innumerable ways diversified.10
{59}

The third and fourth Article stated.

Third
and fourth article stated.

Concerning the third and fourth Article of Grace and Free-will,
consider that Free-will doth denote formally the natural faculty of mans
will alone, yet because the light of understanding must direct the will,
which of itself is blind, and the will enlightened does command the affections
and the other powers of sense and motion as her servants, for this connexion
{60} and dependence which is betwixt the will and all the natural powers
of the soul, the question about the power of all the natural faculties
of man in furthering his own salvation goes usually under the title of
Free-will alone.

The question of Free-will, or of the power of nature,
I mean of all the natural faculties in the soul of man, whether understanding,
will, affections, or any other in the matter of salvation, This question
hath many branches, but for shortness we only touch {61} two heads therein:
First, how far nature can further grace & salvation; Next, how far
it can hinder it. In the first head sundry teach that nature alone without
grace can save, that numbers without the knowledge of Christ by their obedience
to the Law of Nature through the direction of right reason have been saved:
Others ascribe not salvation directly to nature alone without grace, yet
they make saving grace to depend upon nature, so that the right use of
nature {62} doth draw by way of merit, at least by way of infallible dependence
the grace of Regeneration. Others go not thus far in Pelagianism,
yet they give too much to nature in the matter of salvation, they teach
that sin hath not taken away the power of the understanding and of the
will of man to believe and obey God, but only the exercise of that power;
that the power of mans Soul to all gracious works is not dead but bound
in fetters, farther, that in the very first {63} act of our conversion,
not only in all posterior acts of grace, God and Man, Nature and Grace,
do concur as two partial causes, so that the whole effect of Conversion
doth depend not only from Gods grace, but also the whole of it does flow
from Man & Nature, yea, that which maketh Grace efficacious to Conversion
and Salvation is not Grace but Nature alone; for the concurrence of Grace
is oft (say they) alike in these who are converted, and those {64} who
are never converted, in these who are saved, and those who are damned,
in both they put a degree of grace simply equal, so that the only difference
which casts the balance, the only reason, why the same degree of grace
which is efficacious to convert and save one, yet is not efficacious for
these effects in another, is alone in nature, even in the free-will of
the one accepting and yielding to that degree of grace, which the free-will
of the other {65} made inefficacious by its own resisting and rejection
thereof.

In the second head of natures power to hinder Grace and
Salvation, the most common and infamous conclusion is, that the free-will
of man not only hath power to reject and refuse, to repel and frustrate,
to overcome and make of none effect the most efficacious motions of the
regenerating Spirit of God, but also very oft does put this power in practice,
hindering God {66} when he intends to convert and save, by its invincible
perverseness to obtain that his gracious end and merciful intention.

The errours of the first head the Arminians oft
in word do cast them from themselves upon the Papists, yet in very deed
they stumble too often upon them all.

The errours of the second head they deny not to be their
Tenets: however for confutation {67} of all errours in both the heads let
us confirm these two propositions.

First, neither Free-will, nor any other natural faculty
in man hath any power at all to purchase either the beginning or midst
of perfection either of grace or salvation, but both grace and glory cometh
alone from God that quickens nature, dead in sin, and makes it to work
not in the strength of itself, but alone of grace. {68}

Secondly, that as Nature cannot further grace nor salvation,
so can it not hinder the Omnipotent power of the regenerating Spirit of
God to call and convert, and save whomever he hath a purpose to call, convert,
and save. For the full confirmation of the first proposition, see in Scripture
these 3 grounds clearly set down.

Man by his free-will is not able for any spiritual
good.

First, That in no man by nature is any power
at all to any spiritual good. {69}

Secondly, That in every man by nature not only is a simple
impotency to good, but also an exceeding great inclination to all spiritual
evil.

Thirdly, Whatever power to spiritual good, or whatever
gracious operation is found in any man, the only cause of that good is
from God, who works it in man, and makes man to work in the strength not
of human Nature, but of divine Grace. {70}

For the first, mans impotency, see John 6.44,
No man can come to me except the Father draw him. Jer. 5.23, Can
the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots, then may
ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil, Here is mans impotency
to convert to God, or change his wicked nature, 1 Cor. 2.14, The
natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, For they
are foolishness to him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually
discerned. No man can say that Jesus is {71} the Lord, 1 Cor.
12.3, 2 Cor. 3.5, Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any
thing as of our selves, but our sufficiency is of God; Here the power
to understand or think any good is denied to man of himself, Matt.
12.34, O generation of vipers how can ye being evil speak good things.
1 Cor. 14.3, No man can say, that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy
Ghost. Here holy and good speeches are denied to be in the power of
nature. All power of good deeds is also removed, Matth. 7.18, {72}
A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. John 15.5, Without
me ye can do nothing, Whereupon Augustine commenting confounds
Pelagius thus: What say {73} you, why deceive you your
selves, not maintainers but casters down of freewill from the heights of
pride through the voids of presumption into drowning deeps, men pleasing
themselves of corrupt minds, and concerning the faith reprobate, for it
is your sentence, that man of himself does justice. But the truth contradicts
and says the branch cannot bring forth fruit of itself, unless it abide
in the vine. If there be any sense in you, be amazed, for who ever thinks
he can bring forth fruit of himself, is not in the vine; who is not in
the vine {74} is not in Christ; who is not in Christ is not a Christian;
These are your drowning deeps, and lest any should think that at least
he might of himself bring forth some little fruit, he says not, without
me you can bring forth a little fruit, but you can do nothing: Whether
therefore it be little or much, it cannot be done without him, without
whom nothing can be done.11

This for our impotency to all spiritual good. {75}

Mans will is perverse and bent to all evil.

For our perverseness and proclivity to all
spiritual evil, see Gen. 6.5, God saw that every imagination
of mans heart was only evil continually; Jer. 7.5, The heart is
deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can know it;
Rom. 7.14,18, I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good,
for I am sold under sin; Ephes. 2.5, We were dead in sins, and
5.8, Ye were sometimes darkness; Ezek. 48.4, I know that thou
art obstinate, and thy neck is as an iron sinew, and thy brow is brass;
Zechariah {76} 7.12, They made their heart as an adamant stone, lest
they should hear the Law.

All good in man cometh only from grace.

The third ground, that God alone works all
our works in us, that our Illumination, Conversion, &c. flows from
him alone, see, Ephes. 2.10, We are his workmanship created in
Christ Jesus to good works. Psalm 5.10, Create in me a clean heart,
O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 2 Cor. 4.6, God who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our {77} hearts.
Phil. 2.13, It is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his
own good pleasure. Ezek. 36.26, A new heart will I give you, and
a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart
out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh, and I will put
my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes; 1 Chron.
4.7, Who maketh thee to differ from another, and what hast thou that
thou hast not received? Why doest thou glory, as if thou hadst not received
it. {78}

We may see this doctrine of Scripture avowed often by
all Christian Writers especially by Augustine and Bernard,
against the Pelagians. Hear some few of their sayings. The 1st tells
us, Man abusing {79} free-will lost both himself and it. For
when by free-will sin came, free-will was lost: through the greatness of
the first sin we lost freedom of will to {80} love God: Man in his
Creation received a great strength of free-will, but by sin did lose it,
by willing of evil, justly have we lost power to good, who by power to
good freely did choose to will evil: We say not that by Adams sin
free-will is lost, but that in men subject to Satan, it serves only for
sinning, and is not able to make any live well and holily, except the will
of man itself by the grace of God be made free: God without us makes us
to will, when we will, {81} and will so that we do; he works with
us, yet without him both making us to will and working with us when we
will, we have no power to do any good or pious work: It is certain we will,
when we will, but he makes us to will, of whom it is said, God works in
us the will: We work but God in us works the work: It is good for us both
to believe and speak thus, this is piety, this is truth, that there may
be a humble and submissive confession, and all be given to {82} God:
We live more safely, when we give all to God and do not commit ourselves
partly to him, and partly to ourselves.12

Bernard: Not partly grace and partly free-will, but
both the one and the other is all; But so that all is done in the one,
and all from the other: What then wilt thou say does free-will? I answer
shortly, it is saved, take away free-will and there shall be nothing which
can be saved, take away grace and there shall be nothing {83} whereby
to save. This work without two cannot be, the one in which, the other from
which it may be done. God is author of salvation, free-will only the subject
thereof, none can give it but God, nothing can receive it but free-will.13

The efficacious grace of God in mans conversion
is insuperable by mans will.

Our second proposition, which the Arminians
profess most to oppose, to wit, that free-will nor natural corruption does
never, & is never able to overcome the motions of the Spirit of God,
when he purposes {84} to call efficaciously and convert: John 6.37,
All that the Father given me shall come to me. 8.45, Every one
that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Rom. 8.30,
Whom he hath called, them he also justified; also who have efficacious
grace, these have the spirit of Christ, and who have Christs Spirit are
Christs members.

Again, not only the will of man doth ever obey Gods efficacious
calling, but it must do {85} so, for the efficacy of Gods call stands
in the removing of all the perverseness and stubbornness that is in the
will, in making the heart new, soft and pliable to the Call, in making
us will and believe, Phil. 1.29, Unto you it is given not only
to believe but to suffer. Phil. 2.13, God worketh in you to will
and to do. Ezek. 36.26, A new heart I will give to you, a new spirit
will I put in you, I will take away the stony heart, and give you a heart
of flesh.

Thirdly, GOD in {86} mans conversion employs his strong
and mighty power which the Devil, the World, and the Flesh cannot overcome,
being the far stronger, Ephes. 1.19, That ye may know the exceeding
greatness of his power to usward, who believe, according to the working
of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from
the dead. 1 John 4.4, Ye have overcome them, for greater is he that
is in you, than he that is in the world. Matth. 12.29, How can one
enter into a strong {87} mans house and spoil his goods, except
he first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house.

Fourthly, The Creature cannot hinder its own Creation,
nor the dead man his own quickening, nor the child his own generation,
nor the darkness its own illumination, nor the white paper the writing
on itself, nor the blind eye the restitution of its light, nor the weak
person the draught of a strong hand: Now Scripture oft compares the {88}
action of the Spirit converting a soul, to a creation, a new life, a regeneration,
an illumination, &c.

Fifthly, if the will of man could overcome the efficacious
working of the Spirit of God, then could the Decree of our Election and
Salvation be made altogether uncertain, and oft be made null by the repugnance
of mans will, and the victory of our wickedness over the best, and most
efficacious will of God, {89} but this were against Scripture, Isaiah
14.24, The Lord of Hosts hath sworn, surely as I have thought, so shall
it come to pass, and as I have purposed so shall it stand, the Lord of
Hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it. 2 Chron. 20.6, In
thy hand is there no power? So that none is able to withstand thee.
Rom. 9.29, Who hath resisted his will? 8.30, Whom he hath predestinated,
them he also glorified.

The Fathers go here the Scriptures way: have {90} some
passages of Augustine cited by Bellarmine himself: No
will of any man resists God when he hath a mind to save. For to will or
nill is so in the power of him that wills or nills that they do not hinder
the will of God, nor overcome his power: doubtless, the will of man is
not able to resist the will of God, God has so provided for the weakness
of mans will, that it should be led indeclinably and irresistibly so that
how weak soever it is, it should not fall, nor by any opposition be broken.14
{91}

The fifth Article stated.

The
fifth Article stated.

THE question of perseverance is stated
diversely, the Arminians now and many Jesuits do maintain a possibility
to fall away from grace totally and finally in all persons so long as they
live, the most of the Papists grant that those who are elected cannot fall
away finally, but after all interruptions there must be a return to grace,
and that in them {92} there is a necessity of salvation: yet they say that
many of the regenerate, and truly faithful, may fall away even finally.

There is a kind of Arminians, who follow Joannes
Gerhardus Vossius, who put a degree of faith and grace, from which
there is no deficiency, albeit from the estate of faith essentially true,
and from regeneration they teach falling totally and finally; against all
these we teach that God makes {93} to persevere and go on to the end, not
only the elect but all the faithful, and that not only those who are rooted
in a high and excellent degree of faith, but all whosoever have the least
measure of true saving faith, who are regenerated, justified, sanctified,
in all these God keeps in some heat in the smoking flax, puts under his
hand when they fall, raises them ever up again, and leaves not the building
he hath once grounded till he {94} hath crowned it with the Capstone.

The necessity ofperseverance proved from Matt. 24.29.

That thus it is, many Scriptures make evident:
Matth. 24.29, He shall shew great signs and wonders that they shall
seduce, if it were possible, the very elect, here the Elect cannot
possibly be seduced, all the wonders of Antichrist, the most pregnant means
that men and Devils can use to make the elect fall away do not prevail,
for it is not possible that such should be so seduced {95} as to fall clean
away from Christ.

The second from Jer. 32.39.

Jer. 32.39, I will give them one heart
and one way, that they may fear me for ever, and I will make an everlasting
covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good,
but I will put my fear in their heart, that they shall not depart from
me. Here God promises to all the faithful, to all those with whom the
new Covenant is made, that they shall get an heart from God to fear him,
not for a time but for {96} ever, that he will make with them an everlasting
Covenant that shall never be broken on either side, he assureth not only
for himself, that he shall never change, but for them, that he will plant
his fear in their heart in such a measure that they shall stick to God,
not for a time, but so, that they shall never depart from him.

The third from John 10.

John 10, But ye believe not, because ye
are not of my sheep; my sheep hear my voice, and I give to them eternal
Life, and they shall {97} never perish, neither shall any pluck
them out of my Fathers hand. Behold, Christs sheep are those who
believe, Christ assureth them all of Life eternal, assuredly they shall
never perish because they are kept by his strong hand. The Father hath
put them into the hand of his Son to be kept, yea, the Fathers own hand
is about them, so that they cannot perish except there arise some enemy
stronger than God the Father, to spoil him of his goods. {98}

The fourth from 1 John 2.19.

1 John 2.19, They went out from us, but
they were not of us, for if they had been of us, without doubt they had
continued with us, but they went out that it might be manifest that they
were not of us. Who are they that do not persevere, who fall away from
Truth and Grace; these who were never gracious, even before their Apostasy,
for if ever they had been in the number of Christs faithful members, no
doubt they would have continued so for ever. But God let them go {99} and
depart that he might make manifest to the World, that Apostates even before
the appearing of their Apostacy were never sound, never rooted, nor builded
by faith on the rock, for if they had been such, when all storms of temptations
had blown, they would have stood firm, and the Ports of hell should not
have prevailed against them. They should have been as Mount Sion,
which never is removed but abideth for ever. {100}

The fifth from Ephes. 1.13.

Ephes. 1.13, In whom after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is that earnest
of your inheritance: Here all the faithful get the Spirit of Christ,
as himself says, to be their Comforter, and to abide with them forever,
to be a seal, and to assure them that they are Gods, that makes them call
God Abba, Father, that witnesseth to them that they are the children
of God, yea, Gods heirs, and Co-heirs with Christ, which is their earnest
and first {101} fruits of life eternal, which gives them full assurance
of hope, anchors their soul within the vail, and fills them with joy unspeakable
and glorious.

Among the infinite passages of Augustine for our
tenet, take but one, de Corrept. & Gratia, chapter 12. Unto
the first {102} man who in that good estate wherein he was created
righteous, had received a power not to sin, not to die; a power not to
fall from his good estate, to him was {103} given the help of Perseverance:
not such a gift whereby he should persevere, but such without the which
he was not able by his free-will to persevere. But now unto the Saints,
by the grace of God predestinated unto the Kingdom of God, not only such
a help of perseverance is given, but such, that perseverance itself is
given to them, not only so that without that gift they cannot persevere,
but also that through that gift they cannot but persevere: {104} for
he has not only said, without me ye can do nothing, but he saith also,
"you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and appointed you that
you should go on and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain;" in
which words he shews that he has not only given righteousness but perseverance
therein: for Christ having so sent them that they go and bring forth fruit,
and their fruit abides, who dare say perchance they shall not continue,
for without {105} repentance are the gifts and calling of God, Christ
praying for them that their faith fail not, without doubt it shall not
fail to the end, and so shall persevere to the end, and the end of their
life shall find it remaining, for now a greater liberty is needful against
so many and so great temptations, which were not in Paradise, being guarded
with the gift of perseverance, that this world with all his lusts, terrours,
errours, might be overcome, & the Saints prevail against all {106}
threats, all allurements, all power.15

The current of Scripture and Fathers runs so straight
against the total and final apostacy of the Saints, that Arminius
for all his boldness durst not, so long as he lived, set his breast against
that stream, albeit his Scholars since have mainly set themselves to evert
this Article, which is the chief ground of all the comfort that the soul
of man hath in this miserable pilgrimage.

All baptized Infants are not regenerate.

Of all their contrary argumentations consider
{107} but one: Millions of these who were baptized in their infancy fall
away finally and totally, but all these who were baptized in their infancy
were truly regenerate, sanctified, justified, and put in the state of salvation,
Ergo, millions of these who were truly regenerate, justified, sanctified,
and put in the state of salvation, fall away totally and finally.

In this Popish argument the Arminians triumphed
at the beginning, as our men16
do yet, but after a little trial {108} both Papists and Arminians,
find it so foolish and impertinent that long ago they have cast it away.

It is easy to shew the falsity of the Minor [proposition]
that all Baptized Infants are truly regenerate, &c. Scriptures, Fathers,
Schoolmen, are all to the contrary; but leaving these I only shew that
this assertion is against the Scottish Confession; the twenty-fifth
Article testifies that the Reprobate only doth communicate in the outward
benefits of the Sacraments, {109} that they get no fruit of Christs death,
that in this life their sins are not forgiven them, that these blessings
belong only to the Elect, that the Reprobate at their best are but chaff,
and at no time are good wheat. Who [soever], therefore, avow that the Reprobate
sometimes, to wit, in their infancy, are truly regenerate, justified, sanctified;
who avow that Reprobates get many fruits of Christs death and their Sins
sometimes forgiven them, they contradict clearly our {110} confession,
yea almost all the confessions of the reformed Churches. If they will believe
their good friend D. Francis White he will assure them that none
but Papists and Lutherans will affirm reprobate infants by baptism to be
regenerate.

Arminianism is contrary to the Confession
of the Church of Scotland.

How far the chief Arminian tenets are contrary
to Scripture I have shewn; Consider in a few lines how much they are opposite
to the Confession of our Kirk [Church], and so I close. They teach
that our Election is of Faith, {111} Works, Perseverance, as antecedent
either Causes or Conditions, or at least Qualities foreseen in us. Our
Confession, Article 8, says that God hath chosen us of mere grace; that
faith to believe in Christ and all grace we lost in Adam,
is given us after our Election.

Again, they teach that Christ died for all, that in death
he stood in the place of all without distinction of elect and reprobate,
that all have the benefit of his death. Our Confession says, Article 8,
that Christ suffered {112} for us, that is the elect, of whom alone the
whole Article speaketh: Also that the benefits which the elect have common
with the reprobate are but their Creation, no ways their Redemption and
their Adoption thereby to be the sons of God: And in the 25th Article it
is said, that the Reprobates have no benefit of Christs Death, Resurrection,
or Ascension.

Lastly, they teach that many of Christs faithful members
fall away and lose not only all grace, but salvation itself. {113} Our
Confession, Article 25, contradicts, affirming, that all the faithful continue
in the estate of Justification, that albeit their sins be great, yet they
are not imputed but covered with Christs righteousness.

Again, it is one of the faithfuls privileges to go on
constantly to the end, till they be conformed to Christs glorious body.
And in the 21st Article, that the faithful in such a manner become flesh
of Christs flesh, and bone of his bone, that he abides {114} in them and
they in him forever, no less than the Godhead abides in the manhood of
Christ, giving to it life and Immortality.

Our Confession crosseth their Doctrine of free-will, justification,
& other their popish errours more clearly, but with those I do not
meddle lest by further prolixity I should longer with-hold so great an
Assembly from their most weighty Affairs.

FINIS.

Footnotes:

1.
Meaning the then present advocates of English Arminianism within Scotland.JTK.

6.
Let the Reader note that this Lutheran Error was such an error as was
maintained among the Lutherans in the days of our author, and not an error
taught by Martin Luther. Luthers work on the Bondage of the
Will, is an able defence of the doctrine here vindicated by our author,
and sufficiently overturns every notion that Election is dependent upon
mans free-will, by asserting the freedom and sovereignty of the will of
God: This, therefore, is also essentially necessary and wholesome for
Christians to know: That God foreknows nothing by contingency, but that
He foresees, purposes, and does all things according to His immutable,
eternal, and infallible will. By this thunderbolt, Free-will is thrown
prostrate, and utterly dashed to pieces. Those, therefore, who would assert
Free-will, must either deny this thunderbolt, or pretend not to see it,
or push it from them. &c. &c.Section 9. Among modern Lutherans
there is a mixture of opinions on this subject, but it is to be feared
that, by far, the greatest part of those called by this name hold rather
to the errors of Arminius than to the doctrines of Luther.JTK.